Fire and Ice
by The Bloody Red Queen Of Angst
Summary: Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate to say that...for destruction...ice is also great, and would suffice. -'Fire and Ice' Robert Frost. Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. *Complete*
1. Restoration of Balance

**A/N: So, this story is connected with Fruits Basket. I don't own Fruits Basket. Nor do I own the character of Akito Sohma. Not this archetype of him, anyway. This version of Akito to be shown once again belongs to Fandom Angst, and to the world they created in their story "Creatures Of The Underworld." This comes as the third installment of the epic saga/war between Akito Sohma and one Kristean Mitchell. This follows behind "Insufferable Bastards" and "The Irresistible Force Paradox"**

 **Yes...I own Kristean Mitchell, despite him saying otherwise. Don't believe him. He lies.**

 **I also own Shawn Evans.**

 **So I hope that you all enjoy this third chapter of their deadly feud.**

* * *

"Find your rhythm."

Labored gasps and heavy panting laid waist to the silence. Breath was almost violently drawn in through flared nostrils. Through dry parted lips that were licked in determination. Focus.

"You're not focused."

The softer whispers of movement along the padded surface came faded underneath the heavy breathing. Followed by solid contact of hands landing along flesh. Fast. Constant. Unrelenting. A symphonic dance of fluid movement in time and rhythm to the pace of heavy rhythmic panting before being viciously overtaken by a sharp, resounding slap across the face.

Followed by another breathless gasp and a hiss of pain.

"Tighten up. Your moves are getting sloppy." This chastisement came hard and laced in frustration and weighted breath. "This time, _focus_. Again."

Sweat. Adrenaline. Movement. Breath. Pain.

 _'Love, pain, one in the same.'_

Time. Rhythm. Faster. Harder.

Another slap across the face stung hot across his cheek, reverberating through the sound of heavy breathing.

 _'...pain...'_

"Again!"

Block. Defend. Attack. Take the offensive.

 _'Who was it that hurt you?'_

The taste of blood and iron flooded his mouth with the next strike across his face, leaving his cheek rouge in the wake of this insult.

"Get your head straight and bring your A-game, or get out of my ring." And exotic pale blue eyes narrowed in response to this challenge.

Breath moved through his body. In through his nose. Filling his lungs. Out his lips. Control. Focus. Discipline. Determination.

But...underneath. Underneath was chaos. Chaos...confusion...and an overwhelming, blinding, turbulent black sea of rage he hadn't felt in such a long time.

 _'...could it be...that there is no one else in this world that makes you feel quite like she does...?'_

Kris took his stance, his cold gaze steady, gauging his trainer's body language as he methodically formed his plan of attack. He wouldn't be so easily beaten. Dominated. Humiliated. All he needed to do was watch. Wait. Observe his opponent until the right opportunity presented itself for a restoration of balance. An opening of sorts. The smallest flicker of vulnerability. A single moment that would allow him to gain the upper hand in this match.

...all he needed to do was be patient...and wait...

The sharp click of stiletto heels came painfully abrasive upon the tense silence, drawing the attention of both men. That frigid pale blue gaze took in the attractive woman's unannounced presence for a moment. Only a single, solitary moment before a viciously malicious grin spread across Kris' lips.

The perfect opening had just presented itself.

Utilizing this momentary distraction to his advantage, Kris silently sprinted across the training mat as his bared feet quickly carried him to close the distance between himself and his trainer. Though the distraction lasted but a single, fleeting moment, it was enough for Kris to gain the element of surprise as he unleashed a brutally barbaric attack upon his trainer. Overwhelming the man and destabilizing his stance with his own footing, Kris finally forced him down to the mat with a sickening thud that echoed off the walls of the room.

Like a shock wave, the silence that followed washed back up and over the moment as both men were momentarily overtaken by breathlessness. Exotic pale eyes drank in the look of surprise laced in pain etching his trainer's features as the man stared at Kris from his back.

"How's that for focus...?" This came sardonically whispered through Kris' lips as the hand pinning his trainer to the mat by his chest came to playfully slap the man's cheek.

"Better..." The man muttered bitterly towards Kris' underhanded strategy and ill gotten victory as Kris finally stood, extending his hand to help his trainer from the floor.

"Thanks, Shaw." This call came effortlessly casual, followed with the raise of Kris' hand towards the woman in acknowledgment as he offered her an attractive side smile and wink.

And the normally stoic woman's angular cheekbones flushed a light pink, her emerald gaze drifting towards the floor beneath her chic black frames as her slender fingertips came to tuck a small shock of her dark bob behind her ear.

"I'm headed to the showers." Kris murmured lightly towards his trainer as he carried himself to the edge of the training mat, grasping a small towel to draw away some of the sweat along his bangs before it came draped along his bare, muscular shoulder-line. "Catch you next week?" And a stiff nod was the only response as Kris waved the man farewell, making his way to the woman in waiting.

"What do you have for me?" This question came through a wry smile at the way the woman avoided looking directly at him as her attention was finally drawn to the manila folder in the crook of her arm.

"The latest contracts and a few potentials that look promising." She responded before those emerald eyes flitted through thick lashes to meet exotic blue.

"Awesome." Kris deadpanned with a complete lack of interest in the monotony of this paperwork. "We can go over them together on our flight to Tokyo."

"We're going to Tokyo?" Shawn murmured, her delicate brows furrowing at this change in their work schedule.

"I want to check on the studio there." Kris murmured casually. "And I want you to come with me." And at this the woman's cheekbones dusted a light pink once more as she gave a small nod.

"About that..." Shawn murmured lightly, her emerald gaze averted from his face once more. "It's just that..." Her voice grew soft and quiet as she felt the warmth of Kris' body drift closer to hers. "Ever since Tokyo...you've been different."

"Shawn..." Her name came so tantalizingly whispered from his lips as it drew her gaze up from the floor to meet the blank slate of his beautiful features. "What have I told you about worrying about me?"

"Don't."

Shawn murmured this practiced response dutifully, and the small makings of a smile played along his lips. Drawing his hand up towards her face, he gently traced his thumb along her forehead as his fingers caressed and swept down her cheek.

"That...and it gives you such awful wrinkles." He offered this with a light chuckle towards the way her whole body seemed to helplessly respond to his touch.

"You know what I'm thinking?" Kris whispered this in Shawn's ear, his fingertips drifting down along her neck, feeling her breath hitch against his damp skin as he closed the gap between their bodies. "It's been a while since I've gotten you out of these clothes."

The lightest nip of her earlobe caused a thready sigh to push through her body as she gave a moments hesitation against his advances. Fighting with herself and these bittersweet memories laced in heartache and pain, Shawn drew a shallow breath in, only to be flooded with his musky scent as she felt his slender nose trace itself against her jaw line.

"Shower with me?" He breathed against her neck, lining it with kisses as the last of her reserves were washed away with the intoxicating smell of him and his fingers as she allowed herself to be led away discreetly.


	2. An Uninvited Guest

The sounds of smooth, upbeat instrumental jazz interspersed with the soft buzz of quietly held conversations drifted along the intimate space. The occasional spurt of lithe laughter and lilt of jovial voices created an almost pleasant and happy ambiance to the sophistication and class of the evenings levity.

...a party...

And the tender warmth of low level lighting lent itself well to the undertow of secrets and something just a little bit depraved in the darker corners of this underworld. Endless secrets. Secrets...and deeds best left to the darkness in which they were created.

People. In varied stages of age and beauty. But all of them...they were _all_ clothed in a level of wealth, sophistication, and social standing that was so curiously strange and offsetting in this den of debauchery. And at the center of this celebration, though he had set himself apart in secrecy and shadow in the darkest corners of this room, was the man of the hour.

His flawless, creamy skin came pale under the soft lighting and shadows...contrasted by thick, stick straight inky black hair that came tantalizing and almost sinfully styled. Though his strikingly handsome looks, fine clothing, and candy sweet smile magnetically drew the energy of the room, deep onyx eyes set themselves like a dark ravenous pool that threatened to swallow up and devour any who dared to look into them for too long.

A predatory stare that the man had wielded far too often to obtain what he wanted. And the man was quite accustomed to getting what he wanted with that gaze of his, either through intimidation or seduction. He was equally adept at both.

A fiend with an angel's face.

Delicate lips swept themselves across perfect features into an unholy, devilish simper of a smile as the woman keeping him company at the intimate table in the corner of the lounge leaned herself in to whisper something in his ear. And thick, dark lashes fluttered in delight at the sensation, that smile of his spreading further across his lips as the man gave himself over to a bout of lithe, almost heady laughter towards these hushed secrets. Laughter that was swept up into the smooth instrumental jazz to become its melody before coming silenced as the man took the drink from the table, putting it to his lips. And the woman continued to whisper to him, that smile playing itself along the glass in his hand as that dark, predatory stare of his lingered along the many faces of his guests.

The glass of amber liquid was placed back upon the table as dark onyx eyes flitted from face to face, person to person, before the man slightly inclined his head towards the woman. Delicate lips parted themselves in a low, breathless murmur to the woman's waiting ear. She listened intently, her exquisite features dusting a shade of pale pink before she, too, broke into a helpless little giggle of delighted amusement as her fingertips came to lace over her lips. And the two of them laughed together in the shadows of the corner where they sat. Laughed over all of the endless...scandalous...secrets that filled the darkest spaces of this place.

They exchanged knowing glances with each other, soft warm brown meeting dark onyx before the woman parted her lips in a silent question as the simper of a smile graced the man's lips with the nod of his head. Slender, meticulously well-manicured fingertips dipped themselves into an unimposing tin dish placed along the expensive looking glass table-top. Fingering a small white tablet, the man kept his woman in breathless anticipation before those delicate, perfect fingertips discreetly touched the tongue that darted out to eagerly meet them in acceptance of the token gift. Her lips encircled tantalizing around the man's finger, her warm brown gaze burrowing into his own through her dark bangs with such heat and intensity in her longing before she allowed him to slowly withdraw from her mouth.

Moved to another small bout of low laughter, the man helped himself to the tin's contents, placing one of the small white tablets along his own tongue as he raised his glass once more. The woman mimicked his graceful, almost agonizing entrancing moves as she raised her own glass, and the two encircled arms in an act of intimacy before their drinks met lips in a toast. And the man finally leaned his delicate frame back in his seat, embracing this unholy act with the slow crawl of a seductively lazy smile to no one in particular as the woman beside him drifted in to wrap herself around him...the two of them laughing gaily as they soared high to storm the very heavens.

The man gave himself over to pleasures and recreation he rarely afforded to himself in the presence of others as a slender arm wrapped around the woman's shoulder, drawing her closer into his side as he once again began whispering in quiet conversation. Leaning her head delicately on his shoulder, the woman listened dutifully with a small smile towards the attention and companionship that made her feel so very special and strangely set apart from the gathering of people in this space. The two of them off in their own little world. And this moment...it felt slow, and warm, and so very perfect. Peace, and a small taste of something far sweeter still.

An entire lifetime was lived in this single, precious, medicated peaceful moment until the moment was completely obliterated by the sudden, almost violent intrusion of unannounced guests to this private affair. Loud, boisterous, flamboyant...the small group descended upon the intimate gathering like a pack of voracious wild animals with almost vulgar vociferation. Uncivilized hooligans dressed in tight black leather or denim, chains, spikes, and decorated in profane tattoos and piercings.

The new arrivals came led by an almost childish young man in his mid twenties with warm mischievous hazel eyes and dark brown hair touched with the slightest hints of red and blond, meticulously tossed into a stylish, slightly messy bun. And a tall, darker, more ominous figure in a hooded zip-up drifted along side of him in obscurity like a magnet, acting as this man's silent counterpart and balance as the group made its way through the open lounge. This small, tight-knit group of vagabonds seemed to feed off of each others energy, spurring on and goading the ringleader and each other as their presence grew louder and more difficult to ignore. And the eyes of the room came drawn to them as they found their way to the open bar.

Dark onyx eyes burned dangerously with indignation, the man silently observing this invasion with an expression of blank indifference as his home was laid siege by these uninvited, foreign outsiders.

But before the man had managed to stir this dull, festering irritation into the movement of his lean body, what came next left him breathless and completely immobilized with blinding rage. The whole entirety of this man's world came an agonizingly slowed spin with the steps of the newest guests to enter the room.

The woman didn't belong. And she knew it. With her dark auburn hair cropped in a voraciously aggressive bob, and her sumptuous body clad in a skin-tight black cocktail dress and stiletto heels, she radiated a painful level of obvious discomfort as she helplessly clung to the arm of the man shamelessly parading her into the room. Her green eyes peered through chic frames that complemented and enhanced her delicate, feminine features...lending her over to a level of class that might have suited itself to the guest-list if she hadn't been so visibly uncomfortable. And the whole of the image was far too sad to be laughable. The poor woman was practically crawling in her own skin, trying not to be devoured by the hungry eyes lingering along her body from all corners of the lounge. Clinging to the man at her side for protection from them...

This clearly hadn't been her idea.

But the man who led her along the crook of his arm. The man...he was different. The way he carried himself, his level of confidence screamed to the world that he could fit in anywhere, and no one would question his presence. Though he appeared slight framed and no taller than the woman he was next to, it was painfully clear to anyone who should see the two of them together that he was the dominant personality.

He stood out next to the rebellious, ragtag group he slowly trailed himself behind, having dressed himself in a beautifully tailored suit. The black fitted vest wrapping itself around his slender waist, the sleeves of his dress shirt having been casually rolled to just above the elbows to give him a slightly more personable look. A look of sophistication and class that echoed and complemented the beauty of his female companion. A dark, suave appearance with tantalizingly mussed raven black hair that was set in the cold, intoxicating flames of a pale blue gaze veiled through fashionable, translucent designer sunglasses.

All eyes were transfixed upon the couple, enamored with their beauty as the man gave a slow, almost wry little smile to the sudden attention they had managed to obtain. All eyes took in their slow approach across the length of the lounge as they made their way to join the more boisterous group at the open bar that had gone before them. All eyes flicked with a level of curious fascination and interest.

All eyes, that was...except those of dark onyx.

Those eyes were a black pool of seething rage. Their depths a deep field of thick black tar that had just been lit on fire with an all encompassing fury directed solely towards this pretentious man. A fury that only burned hotter and more fiercely intense with every movement of this man in a grandiose show of his open disregard of the onyx gaze threatening to engulf him completely.

As the pair made their way to the bar, the two ordered their drinks and the woman dismissed herself from the man's side. And the man took this separation to gain the attention of an attractive patron lingering along the bar. As the two engaged in pleasant conversation, the man offered seductive smiles and the young woman responded in kind with lithe airy giggles.

Time itself seemed to misbehave as it slowed and stopped, then slowly spun again in this little dance where the partners never once looked at each other.

In this moment, onyx eyes watched every infinitesimal muscle movement of the man's back as they attempted to burn a whole into the very flesh of his body. And the man at the bar, sensing this invasion, simply offered another attractive smile to the woman as he continued to openly ignore the all consuming fury in the corner of the room.

No glances were exchanged. No acknowledgment towards the other as the two sat opposite sides of the room, the space between them becoming an increasingly dangerous black hole drawing in the unsuspecting guests gathered that evening. Yet the man at the bar continued with his malicious teasing in this grand dismissal. But the two men...they _both_ felt the very heat of each others presence as physically as if they were mere inches away.

And pale ice blue eyes thrilled under the building tension of this terrifying inferno.

* * *

 **A/N: Did I just complete this chapter without a single shred of dialogue? I think I did...**

 **My original cast of characters making a cameo in this scene are as follows.**

 **Kristean Mitchell**

 **Shawn Evens**

 **Aden McCaffery (...yes...he snuck himself in here. Like Where's Waldo)**

 **Gabriel La Grange (new to fanfiction and the 'ringleader' of this invasion)**


	3. Rules Of Engagement

He waited...

For a lifetime it seemed like he waited.

But...for him...the anticipation had always been the better part of the game.

The thrill of what was to come.

So Kris waited. Enduring the trivial small talk with this woman next to him, so enraptured with him as she hung on every word. As if he were the most fascinating man she had ever conversed with. Perhaps...to her...he was. He was all too willing to concede to this about himself as he gave her another attractive smile, watching through colored lenses as she seemed to melt under his exotic gaze.

But she was boring. And far too easy. Kris wagered that, given the smallest little nudge from him, this woman would be all too willing to submit herself to his advances and many whims. And he gave himself over to another little smile as he chuckled lightly over this thought.

...maybe later...

Tonight, though, there was something he wanted far more than this woman's company. There was someone else here who had his complete, undivided attention as her words fell deafly on ears that had long ceased to hear what she was saying. Taking a sip of his drink, Kris focused on the sensation of warmth and the bittersweet burn as the liquid washed along his tongue and down his throat. He focused on his breathing. In through the nose. Slowly released across his moist lips.

And he waited.

All he had to do was be patient...and wait...

The opportunity would present itself to him all too soon. In due time. And so he waited, feeling the mounting tension from across the room. With all the patience of a lethal predator slowly luring out his prey, Kris waited. He had set flames to enough situations and people to know this feeling. This oppressive, almost smothering sensation of an unavoidable confrontation.

He lived for this.

Having made the first play by merely returning to this place, Kris bided his time for his opponent to make the next move as a cigarette found its way between thin lips. Releasing a sigh of smoke through his nose, he continued to feign interest in the woman's conversation before her lithe, almost nasally voice was interrupted by the strain of a slightly deeper, melodic call of his name.

"Mr. Mitchell..." Thick lashes fluttered behind colored lenses in response to the intimate familiarity of this call as another whisper of smoke escaped him. "What are you doing here...?" And the faintest touch of expertly veiled duress in these words caused a small smirk to play itself along Kris' lips as he remained completely silent to this question.

"Akito-San!" The woman sitting beside him chirped out in an almost bubbly tone as she swiveled her slender body along its perch in order to speak with the man looming ominously behind Kris. "I was hoping that I would get to see you tonight!" She beamed a genuine smile that spread along her delicate features. "Happy Birthday!"

"It's his birthday?" Kris murmured lowly to the woman beside him, giving another contemplative drag of the cigarette gracefully poised between his fingertips as he kept his back to the man behind him. "Had I known that, I would have brought something nice." This sardonic comment passed through Kris' lips as he worked to veil the level of sheer amusement over the irony of this situation.

"Krisy, you actually _know_ Akito-San too?" The woman sang out this sweet little pet name, all too joyful over this and completely oblivious to the weighted tension between the two men. "Why didn't you tell me?" She gushed, now turning her attention back to Kris as he glanced over to her through his designer sunglasses with a little smile. "Are you one of his friends, or a business partner?" And another whisper of smoke was pushed through Kris' thin nose in consideration as he felt the man's all consuming rage over this energetic line of questioning from the woman.

"Judging by the look on his face..." Kris murmured lightly through a small smile and veil of smoke, not even having bothered sparing a glance towards the man looming over him. "I'd imagine I'm not really either."

"Etsuko..." The man's voice manifested in forced restraint behind him, addressing the woman to his side. "... _darling_..." This endearment came roughly strained in warmth and civility. "Be a dear, won't you, and promptly remove yourself from this seat and find someone else to speak with, hm?" The seriousness of the man's tone finally struck the woman silent as she swallowed hard and gave a small nod, quietly standing from her perch at the open bar to dismiss herself exactly as the man had demanded of her.

"Bye, Etsuko..." This farewell came lowly offered without the slightest glance and the small, dismissive raise of Kris' hand as the woman walked away.

The man silently claimed the empty seat that had been previously occupied only moments before, still warm from the woman's body as he wordlessly flagged the staff behind the counter for his usual drink. And it was in the quiet...in this deafening silence...in which the two spoke so intimately to each other. Acknowledged each others presence, though neither looked directly at the other. Like a pair of territorial predators circling. Watching. Waiting. Anticipating who might make the next move.

But Kris wasn't about to be the one to break this silent standoff.

And so he waited...a slow, lazy wisp of smoke curling through his lips, cold pale blue eyes watching it rise and dissipate as the silence was finally dispersed.

"I'll ask you not to fraternize with my patrons." These words came low and cold as a small sigh through Kris' nose caused what was left of the smoke to vanish into nothingness.

"Why...?" Kris responded coolly, cigarette gracefully poised between his slender fingers as he stared forward just past his colored lenses at the display behind the open bar. "Are you afraid I might actually say something that you don't want them to know?"

"Honestly, Mr. Mitchell..." The man's tone came just a bit softer, laced in exhausted vexation. "How long can we go on like this?" Kris took another pensive drag of his slowly dwindling cigarette as the man delicately fingered the glass of amber liquid along the counter. "I thought that we had resolved this little feud of ours when I told you to stay away." And a small, malicious little chuckle manifested from the seat beside him.

"Funny..." Kris murmured darkly with the faintest twitch of a smirk along his lips. "I never remember agreeing to that."

"Why won't you just leave me in peace?" This question came bitterly whispered as the man began to slowly swirl the liquid in his glass. "Why must you _insist_ on ruining my content?" This lamentation came black along the heels of hot anger.

"There you go again, flattering yourself." Kris murmured flatly through another slow drag of his cigarette. "Thinking that I actually care enough about you to hate you." Snuffing out what was left of his cigarette, Kris tended to his own drink, washing the rest of it down in a single swallow. "Besides..." He spoke through the mild burn along his throat. "Wasn't it _you_ who said we couldn't just walk around ignoring each other...?" He tossed these words lightly with an air of condescension.

"It seems that you weren't listening closely enough, Mr. Mitchell." This statement came dark and seething underneath an even darker gaze. "This is most unfortunate...for you." The man's voice drew just a bit deeper in the quiet of this conversation, taking another delicate sip of his drink before continuing. "Up until now, I have at least _tried_ to be civil with you. Offer you a level of respect as one gentleman to another." The two stared forward, avoiding each others gaze, though their bodies seemed to drift infinitesimally...ever closer to one another in this exchange.

"...and now...?" Kris whispered lightly.

"And now..." The man responded quietly in kind. "Now I find that my patience with you has quite overreached its limit, Mr. Mitchell."

"Well I've never been one to endear myself to others." Kris stated bluntly, and the man offered the silent bob of his head in concession to this fact.

"So it would seem, Mr. Mitchell." The man murmured lightly, his voice empty and far off in thought. "...so it would seem..."

"Perhaps I have gone about this the wrong way." The man mused to himself in contemplation as he took another sip of his drink. " _Perhaps_...Mr. Mitchell...the lesson I have been trying to teach you about disrespecting me would be easier to grasp for you if someone _else_ were to absorb the consequences of your actions, hm?" He mulled this thought over in his mind for a moment before speaking again.

"I see that your woman came with you tonight." This observation came casually conversational in tone. "And I must say that she looks simply ravishing. Yet... she seems to have wandered off at the moment, no?" This whisper came soft and laced in treachery as the man absentmindedly swirled the dwindling drink in his hand, watching the melting ice as it spun in a soft dance for him. "These halls...they are _quite_ difficult to navigate without a guide, Mr. Mitchell." The man lulled softly, his words slow and drawn out as he continued. "And it would be most regrettable if something were to happen to her while she were unattended, hm?"

"So...tell me something about your woman, Mr. Mitchell." The man's voice lilted seductively like the swing of a pendulum. "Do you think that Miss Evans cares enough for you to absorb the punishment of your sins?" Kris' expression remained stoic and unperturbed by this, causing the man to persist in his statement.

"The mere _thought_ of harming a woman gives me no pleasure, I assure you." The man offered lightly in the silence. "But understand this... I am _not_ a man to shy away from what is necessary in order to be taken seriously. No matter _how_ deplorable the means may have to be to achieve that end..." A small sigh of discontent pushed itself through the man's delicate nose in contemplation of his next move. "And believe me, Mr. Mitchell, there are a great many unspeakably vile acts I can, and will, force upon Miss Evens if you keep insisting on foolishly abusing my better nature." The man's voice came as a ghost upon the silence. "It will be _my_ name that I wrench from her lips...when I violate every _inch_ of her soft, sweet flesh." The slow turn of the man's head brought the full force of his dark obsidian gaze upon Kris with the delivery of this open threat. "But I promise that it will be _you_ whom she blames when I've finally finished her."

The infinitesimal droop of Kris' head under the weight of this warning, and the man's oppressive gaze, was the only response. Silence. And the man smiled at the lack words...a malicious little smile forming to match his dark gaze. The bottom of Kris' lip made its home between his teeth, and the man greedily drank this in. He really hadn't expected his ploy to be _this_ effective. Nor had he anticipated the level of satisfaction it gave him now...to bare witness to this silent submission. This felt like vindication. A wrong finally put right. A score settled. A prize he hadn't even realized he had wanted so badly until it had been his to claim.

Victory in a bloodless coup.

A victory that was horrifically marred and upset by a short burst of laughter towards the man's efforts as Kris' whole body shook with the sheer force of it. Heady as it perforated the silence, causing the man to furrow his delicate brows in bewilderment and frustration before it finally faded, though its effect still weighed heavy along the ensuing quiet.

"What exactly is it that you find so terribly funny?" The man practically hissed through delicate lips that had begun to twist in a sour grimace.

"Honestly?" Kris chuckled this question as he finally turned towards the man, gazing at him just beyond the veil of his designer sunglasses. "I really don't think you'd know what to _do_ with Shawn if you actually laid your hands on her." This caused another sputter of helpless laughter at the man's expense. "But if you really want, I'd be willing to give you some tips on what gets her off." And Kris flashed the man a wickedly debonair smile, leaving him in a state of slight shock.

"You still don't quite get it, do you?" Kris continued to smile towards the man's confusion. "I'm not your boyfriend, babe." Kris murmured lightly through the shrinking space between them. "I'm not your friend. Not your business partner. Or one of your patrons." The smile along his face began to fade as he continued. "And I'm certainly not one of your damn whores." This came like a sharp slap across the face as he tilted his head to stare just above his colored lenses, that cold exotic gaze peering directly at the man. "I can't be bought or sold. Pushed around or intimidated. Not by you _or_ your empty threats." Kris' voice faded into a breathless whisper as the two sat mere inches from each other now. "You can't control me."

The two sat in this silent stare-down, the innocuous sounds of soft jazz coming far too loud in the wake of this conversation. Everything came far more harsh and deafening than it should have. The music. The docile conversations interspersed with lithe laughter. And the world continued to spin along its axis in complete ignorance, foolishly defying its pending destruction as if it couldn't feel the very real threat of this inevitable implosion.

...as if it actually believed that it could survive this completely unscathed...

But the two men sitting together at the open bar. _They_ knew better. They understood that there was no way to avoid the devastation of this meeting. The end was inevitable. Both knew this. Embraced it, even, from the very moment they had found each other. The only questions left unanswered were when...? And how many? How many would be heartlessly sacrificed and offered up as tribute to these false gods? How many innocents would be laid in ruin? How many souls would be irrevocably lost in the aftermath of this wreckage? How many would it take...before they finally managed to achieve their mutual destruction?

...how many...?

"Kris?" This soft call to him quickly drew the two men away as Kris turned himself towards this almost tender disruption of their standoff.

"Ah, Miss Evans." Kris absorbed this soft lilt from the man next to him as his gaze focused on the woman standing before him. "We were _just_ speaking of you. And now here you are." His voice came almost sinfully seductive as he managed to divert the woman's attention away from Kris. "I must say that I find myself simply _delighted_ that you decided to grace us with your presence." Delicate lips formed in the offering of a small smile as he continued. "Compared to all of my other guests, you are truly a vision in that outfit." And despite his many charms, the woman seemed less than flattered by the shower of complements from the man as emerald eyes drifted back to meet pale blue.

"Shawn...?" Her name drifted past his lips in a soft murmur, causing her to gravitate just a little closer to his presence.

"I got a call from your office." These words parted her scrumptious lips, her tone gaining a slight chill of professionalism. "They said that they need the latest documents in order to move forward and finalize the contracts in progress." And a small sigh pushed itself through Kris' thin nose in response to this business intrusion.

"Can they wait until tomorrow?" Kris murmured lowly, causing the lightest shake of the woman's head in answer.

"No. Not with the time difference."

"I see." This came whispered with a level of disappointment.

"I'm going back to the hotel to handle it personally." Shawn gave this small reassurance, her gaze flitting from Kris' stoic features, towards the man playing third party to this conversation, back to Kris in a fleeting moment of veiled emotion.

"Alright." Kris murmured with full confidence in Shawn's abilities. "I'll see you in the morning, then. We'll get breakfast and stop by the studio before catching our flight." And Shawn offered a small nod of her head in concession to this date, seeming almost disheartened that he had decided to stay without her.

As she gracefully turned away to dismiss herself from the lounge, Shawn offered the man at Kris' side a last, fleeting glance before leaving from the open bar. It was in that look she graced him with, that he finally understood her disappointment and apprehension towards leaving. And as that deep obsidian gaze followed her departure, a small little knowing smile played itself along the man's delicate lips.

"...absolutely _fascinating_..." The man purred to himself, the smile along his lips beginning to grow.

"What's that?" Kris murmured, his tone completely disinterested in the man's words as another cigarette found its way to his lips.

"Your woman..." The man chuckled lightly, watching her curvaceous figure before she finally disappeared all together. "She's truly a rare and stunning creature, hm?" He mused softly. "And she _really_ doesn't fancy you being with me, I think." And at this Kris turned towards the man to gaze at him through his designer lenses, a small curl of smoke making its way through his lips in a breathless sigh.

"Really...?" This came coldly deadpanned with the small quirk of an eyebrow, followed by a small bob of the man's head in confirmation. "You know..." Kris pondered through a veil of smoke. "I thought you were flattering yourself when you were convinced that I hated you..." Kris murmured lightly, taking another drag of his cigarette before continuing. "But now I'm thinking you're a bit delusional if you _really_ think you made _Shawn_ jealous." And another small chuckle manifested from the man as he smiled sweetly at Kris in turn.

" _Oh_ , Mr. Mitchell..." His voice came in a melodically seductive lilt as he gave the slightest shake of his head in amusement. "I have seen a great many people swept up in jealousy." He gave another small chuckle to this, his gaze momentarily diverted to the elegance of the counter top. "Terribly ugly sentiment. And quite futile in the end, I fear." The man mused to himself for only a moment before dark onyx eyes drifted to meet exotic blue once more.

"No." He shook his head lightly again, his perfect, pale features still shaped in amusement towards what he thought he knew. "What I saw in Miss Evans wasn't jealousy." His mood drifted along the current, shifting between amusement and something far more malicious as he continued. "She seems so strangely protective of you, Mr. Mitchell. It's more likely that she's... _concerned_." He nodded lightly in agreement with himself and his deduction. "Because I think that she doesn't quite trust me alone with you." Dark eyes smoldered dangerously in delight over this revelation as his voice continued to lower itself to set the tone. "She believes I mean you harm." And what was left of his smile came so strangely wrong and twisted as he finished in the breath of a whisper.

"Perhaps you should listen to her, Mr. Mitchell..."


	4. A Gentleman's Game

A deep, ravenous black pool stared back at Kris, the man's gaze threatening to shred him into oblivion with the strength of its dark gravitational pull. To bring an end to him, with a mere glance. The man had succeeded in this task with countless others...many times before.

"Your woman believes I mean you harm." This low whisper came drawn across delicate lips that had once held a sickeningly sweet, angelic smile for the woman who had left their company...a smile that now came so strangely wrong and twisted as the man maintained his predatory stare.

"Perhaps you should listen to her, Mr. Mitchell..."

The smallest sigh slipped through Kris' nose in a thin puff of smoke as he gave this some consideration, snuffing out his spent cigarette before those same slender fingertips made their way to his designer frames. With his right hand, the tips of his middle finger and thumb came in light contact with the rim of his sunglasses to slowly draw them up and away from his face as they came gently nested in the deliciously tantalizing mess of his jet black hair. And this slight change had given him the faintest air of vulnerability and openness, his appearance coming off just a bit younger than his years with this gentle disarmament. The slow turn of his head, Kris finally came to face the man to his side, their gaze meeting in a violent collision of pale blue and onyx.

"You really believe I'm _that_ fucking easy to take down...?" This question came just as cold as his gaze, and the man's affect became startlingly flat in response.

"Have you forgotten...?" The man murmured this question to a question lightly as the two continued to stare each other down. "Have you truly forgotten...how much I know about you? That I _know_ you, Mr. Mitchell. Know everything about you, and who you _really_ are." His voice came in a seductive purr with the slightest scent of sweet alcohol lingering on his breath as the man whispered mere inches from his ear. "Should I remind you...?"

"No...I remember." This lightest response came drawn forth through thin lips.

Thick lashes fluttered under the weight of this shared memory...and the flurry of darkly bitter, turbulent emotions it had managed to dredge up. The very event that had driven him to this place. And a small intake of breath, the faintest gasp of response, was all that was heard in this moment of silence until the smallest twitch of a smirk began to play itself along Kris' lips before a low, breathless murmur took them over.

"I also remember the look on your face when I had your fucking back to the wall..." And Kris felt the man blanch away from his personal space as the two locked eyes once more, causing a small chuckle to manifest from Kris' lip. "Yeah. That's the look." His tone took on a slight air of deprecating amusement at the man's expense as delicate brows furrowed in frustration.

"Do you _not_ realize that I have the means to completely destroy you without a second thought?" This threat came in a strained hiss of contempt as the man glared at Kris, his perfect features shifting between rage and bemusement as Kris spared him a sardonic expression.

"I'd love to see you try." Kris gave an effortless smile to the man before flagging the staff behind the bar for another drink.

"Tell me something..." The man murmured softly, offering Kris an inquisitive look as delicate brows furrowed in curiosity. "...how exactly do you see this ending...for you?" And Kris chuckled lightly at this as he took a sip of his drink.

"I find that if you give too much thought to the end, you really don't enjoy the moment." He murmured this cryptic response before exotic eyes drifted up and away from his drink to gazes at the man to his side. "And you?" Kris whispered this mere inches from the man, his expression blank and void of emotion as he spoke. "How do _you_ see this ending?"

The man turned away for a moment, offering up his profile to Kris as he sat in quiet contemplation. This seemed a question that he had given a fair amount of thought to. And Kris waited patiently for reply, taking another taste of poison before the man's delicate voice manifested to break the silence.

"If my life is _any_ indication...Mr. Mitchell." The man paced himself with this response as he gazed upon the counter-top, his expression almost whimsical as he spoke. "Then I image the end to be _quite_ scandalous." His Japanese accent fell heavy along these words under the weight of the alcohol and lateness of the hour.

And the two sat in an intimate moment of silence as they pondered together over this singular thought. The end. This concept so physically tangible. An entity, fully alive in its own right. The invisible, omnipresent spectator to this little meeting of theirs.

The end.

Kris took another hard swallow from his glass, his Adam's apple bobbing with this effort as the man beside him silently flagged his staff for another drink himself. And the two sipped, drinking deeply of this quiet, peaceful moment. The calm before the inevitable storm. They drank in solidarity to their single-minded dedication to destroying each other. A common goal that aligned them in this moment of silence before Kris offered the smirk of a smile to the drink in his hand.

"To the end, then." Kris deadpanned this cryptic toast. "And a long life." This well-wish fell flat as a small, sardonic chuckle manifested beside him.

"And I suppose I should wish you good health, then, Mr. Mitchell." The man responded just as caustically in kind.

The softer sounds of the environment slowly overtook the space once more. The music. The quiet conversations unfolding around them. The more boisterous laughter of the small group of foreigners that had invade the bar some time ago. These sounds ebbed and flowed, washing themselves against the very walls of this room. Like the tide coming moved by the beckon of its lover, the moon. And as one lover called to another, the man unintentionally turned his head towards a new presence in the room. An automatic response to the young man that stepped himself into the lounge through the lavish, elegant doors that led to an exterior garden, just a breathtaking as the interior of the estate. And Kris didn't miss the unintentional, almost tender smile that lingered along the man's lips at the mere presence of the boy.

Nor did he miss the fact that the child was not alone.

"Well now...isn't _that_ interesting." Kris' voice came slowed along these words, like the young man's approach into the lounge with the young lady beside him.

And the young woman...her presence was so strange in this place of sin, though she herself was so very plain and almost boring in her average appearance in comparison to the other elegant guests in attendance. But...she was a light. A light in this darkness, one that the darkness simply could not comprehend as pale blue eyes drank her in. Soft, long auburn tresses freely tumbled along her shoulders and back, unhindered by ties or restraints. Her expression shy and soft, and so wholly innocent in this place of indiscretion. Though her gentle brown eyes shone with a warm, feminine maternal affection every single time she glanced over at the date beside her.

The man's young lover...

"Isn't that your boyfriend?" Kris murmured, gaining the man's attention away from the child.

"Hm..." The man lulled delicately. "So it would seem."

"And the girl with him...?" Kris inquired as he watched the two approach a small table set apart from the rest of the guests.

"A new client of his." The man mused with a level of bored indifference.

"Damn..." Kris murmured lightly to himself. "You have him working on your birthday?"

"He works _every_ day, Mr. Mitchell..." The man muttered flatly. "Besides...he and I have something quite special planned once he's done tending to her needs for the evening." He murmured, a small smile coming to his delicate lips towards this thought. "She doesn't seem to be one to tire him too terribly with her needs. Sweet enough, I presume...but a little duller than most of my patrons, I'm afraid." A light, whimsical sigh passed through him in consideration to this as he continued. "Quite average and uninteresting."

"How can you stand it?" Kris whispered this question, his exotic gaze flitting from the couple to the man at his side. "Seeing him with another when he's so close to you?"

"It's called having a level of propriety and _professionalism_ , Mr. Mitchell." The man murmured, lowly dismissing Kris' biting words as he himself continued to watch the child interact with the sweet young woman at the table in the distance. "All of this is merely business...for the _both_ of us. And at the end of the day all business is easily put to bed, as it were." His voice grew low and dark as his penetrating gaze. "At the end of the day...he is mine." And Kris gave himself over to a small snort of laughter towards the irony in the man's choice of words.

"So _that's_ the lie to tell yourself for a good nights sleep?" He chuckled through this question, earning another ugly scowl of contempt from his counterpart, fleeting as it was before the man turned away. "You really don't see it, do you?" Kris spoke softly, the smile growing more malicious along his lips. "That girl's completely infatuated with your boy." With this the man finally looked away from the table to spare Kris a bitter glance.

"Of _course_ she's enamored with him. Everyone in this entire _room_ fancies him." The man muttered darkly, his tone laced in a level of cynicism. "That's what he's _paid_ for, Mr. Mitchell." His voice came almost angry as delicate brows furrowed towards Kris' incessant goading.

And Kris nodded politely to the man's festering rage, busying himself with another sip of his drink. Planning and scheming as the liquid slid across his tongue and down his throat before a small sign pushed itself through his slender nose.

"And wouldn't it _really_ be something..." Kris murmured lightly, his gaze slowly drifting towards the man as he spoke, his cold exotic eyes plunging into the very depths of a sea of black obsidian. "...if _he_ actually began to feel the same way about _her_?" The quirk of an eyebrow followed a malicious little smile that began to grow. "But I see I'm not the first to bring that to your attention." A little chuckle escaped him at the infinitesimal tell that flashed along the man's perfect expression of stone. "...pity..."

"I've never been given reason to doubt his loyalty to me." The man murmured, though a fleeting expression of dubiousness played itself along his face as he spoke these words.

"...is that so...?" Kris responded flatly, the smile swept away from his lips in a moment of seriousness. "You're a betting man, aren't you? Care to put it to a wager?"

"How _stupid_ do you find me, Mr. Mitchell?" The man muttered, causing the slightest twitch of a smirk to play along the corner of Kris' lips.

"Well _that's_ a bit of a loaded question, now isn't it...?" A small huff of discontent pushed itself through the man's lean frame.

"...or..." Kris murmured lightly, pushing through the man's failing facade. "...is it that you're worried that I might actually be right about him?" And Kris watch the man mull this thought through his mind, the taste of it coming to sour the moment as he gazed upon the couple.

"What exactly do you have in mind?"

"You still want me gone?" Kris asked lightly, and a silent bob of the man's head in concession came in response.

"Yes."

"If _you're_ right...and the kid's still as loyal as you say he is, I'll cut my losses and close the Tokyo studio. Immediately." And the dubious, high arch of well groomed brows met this statement, but Kris could see the underlying intrigue lingering behind those black orbs.

"...and...?" The man murmured, now clearly interested in hearing the other half of this proposition.

"If _I'm_ right, and he's as crazy about the girl as I think..." Kris paused a moment, the small smirk along his lips twitching up just a bit further. "I stay."

"And how do you propose we go about uncovering the victor of this little wager?" Both men now watched as the unsuspecting child shyly dismissed himself from the young woman's side in order to meet her needs in obtaining a drink for her.

And the smirk along Kris' lips blossomed and spread into a wide, predatory smile.

"Leave that to me."

* * *

 **A/N: I want to take this time to wish a belated Happy St. Valentine's Day to all of you. My love goes out to you all, from the very bottom of my heart. Yes. I have a heart. Stop laughing.**

 **I also want to take this moment to allow a little bit of interactive play for this story. I will now be setting up teams for all of you to choose from. Like Twilight...but better. So I give you all Team Kris and Team Akito. Have fun aligning yourself with a team!**

 **As a side note, I certainly hope that you can sense and catch some of the puns and dialogue sardonically linking this chapter with Fandom Angst's 'Creatures'**

 **For those of you enjoying and reviewing this story, you have my thanks for your support. And for those of you waiting for updates on my other stories, you have my gratitude for your patience.**


	5. The American

**A/N: So...I deeply regret that this tale has taken me longer to tell than I had first anticipated. I thank all of you who are enjoying this piece. Thank you for your support and reviews. You have no idea how they humble me to my very core. You guys are the best.**

 **To those of you STILL waiting for this story's end and updates from my other ongoing stories, once again you have my deepest gratitude for your patience. I promise you that this is soon coming to an end, and continuation of my other stories will soon follow.**

 **As a parting shot, thank you all for the last chapter's reviews. It was quite fun for me to see you all getting on a team. For those of you who chose Team Kris...I pity you. For those of you who chose Team Akito (you know who you are)...what are you thinking?**

* * *

A theatrically slowed, drawn out sigh of dubious curiosity pushed itself through the man's delicate nose as he considered this proposal. He knew well enough of his adversary to have a healthy level of distrust with the presented situation. But the mere _thought_ of a victory in which his opponent would willingly remove himself from the stage was... Well, it was tantalizing, though the man made great effort to veil this from scrutinizing eyes.

Deep onyx orbs drifted towards the child by himself at the bar for a moment. Only a moment as the man's thoughts spun wildly against him. Not only was this an opportunity to rid himself of this dangerously persistent rival... He saw it as an opening to finally silence the doubt that had long plagued his restless mind.

"What exactly is it that you are scheming, Mr. Mitchell...?" These words came low in monotone along the atmosphere as dark onyx eyes finally drifted back to Kris. "Would this be some form of retribution on your part for my visit, hm?" The man murmured, his expression unaffected as he simply stared with that all powerful predatory gaze. "Some attempt of yours to make me rue the evening I left you shattered in pieces?"

"Absolutely not." Kris quipped, his expression falling unreadable as he held the man's intimidating gaze. "I really don't think I'll get anywhere trying to make you feel sorry." And the slight tilt of his head followed in consideration to this statement. "Shame." He whispered. "Humiliation." Each word landed like a pin along the unforgiving floor of a silent room. "...pain... I bet you feel those, now don't you." And Kris' gaze flitted from the man's face to the child alone at the bar before landing in a sea of black once more.

"Then you leave me no motivation to agree to this little wager of yours." The man paced himself, working to calm his festering rage against this brutish antagonism.

"Your motivation..." Kris murmured quietly, closing the distance between the two as he spoke. "Is that if you _really_ believe the kid is still loyal to you, and the girl means nothing to him, then you have absolutely _nothing_ to lose."

"And you will close your industry's production studio in my country..." The man's voice still lingered along uncertainty. "And leave?"

"You have my word." Kris allowed the man another moment of deliberation before consenting with the bob of his head.

"Then you have yourself a wager, Mr. Mitchell."

"Excellent." Kris finally stood from his perch along the bar as he peered down at the man with a small smile. "All you have to do is sit back and watch. Keep your eyes on your boy." He murmured before turning away. "I guarantee that's where you'll find the answer."

Walking away from the bar in a confident stride, Kris could feel the very real heat of the man's penetrating gaze along his back. And he couldn't help but smile at this. Making his way through the lounge, more eyes were magnetically drawn to him in varied levels of curiosity and intrigue. Most all, in fact...except for the young woman in the corner that he now approached. Silently claiming the seat at her table, his sudden presence startled the poor girl out of her stupor. Reclining himself along the seat in which he perched, his legs came almost enticingly crossed in slowed movement before he stilled himself to simply stared at her for a moment.

His exotic pale blue gaze drifted along her appearance as she held uncomfortably still under his hypnotic stare. Her dress was plain...ordinary...and far more casual than this occasion called for. Yet there was something about her that seemed somewhat extraordinary. A quiet strength under duress that emanated from her as she stared quietly back at him. Though her cheeks dusted pink under the sudden attention of his presence, and her hands seemed to tremble under the table along her lap, she held his gaze.

"Hello." He murmured softly, offering her a congenial smile to set her at ease as the blush along her cheeks darkened at the sound of his voice.

"Hello." The young woman answered timidly, her voice almost rising in a question to this greeting.

"My name's Kristean Mitchell." His tone came measured as he spoke. "And I think I'd like to buy you a drink." And the woman's tender lips lifted in a gentle smile to him.

"No thank you." She lightly shook her head against this offer, her command of the English language coming far less mastered than that of the estate's owner. "I don't drink."

"Really?" Kris asked with the raise of his eyebrow.

"I'm not old enough, sir." She admitted shyly, finally averting her warm, innocent eyes from the stranger in front of her. "I'm only nineteen." And Kris gave a small smile to the fact that he was just shy of being ten years her senior.

"Call me Kris." He soothed, his voice coaxing her into a state of ease as her gaze found him once more, another little smile coming to play along her lips under his attention.

"Tohru." She murmured her name, her voice and whole demeanor coming so attractively bashful as Kris returned this token gesture with another cordial smile of his own.

"So are you here with anyone tonight, Tohru?" He asked this innocuous question, causing delicate brows to furrow for a moment as she gave serious consideration towards how to respond.

"Um..." She murmured quietly, averting her gaze as her voice continued in a timid lull. "I really don't know." Her innocent gaze stayed trained along the table as she spoke, her slender fingers coming to absentmindedly tuck a long deep auburn tendril behind her ear. "I think so...but..." The young woman paused a moment, her delicate brows furrowing underneath the weight of her silent thoughts. "I'm really not sure." And Kris' exotic gaze quickly flitted from the child at the bar back to the woman before him, and it seemed that...for the moment...the young man remained unaware of his presence.

"I would think it should be pretty straight forward to tell whether you're with someone or not." Kris offered lightly, his expression open and candid as his pale gaze scrutinized the young woman's reaction, her features coming troubled as she looked away.

"He asks me to stay." She whispered, more to herself than to the stranger listening as her whole being came an open book in her innocence. "But..." Her voice faltered as her gaze finally lifted from the table to meet Kris again. "I really don't think he want's me here." And Kris' expression smoothed over into one of placid indifference with these words.

"Really...?" His response came cool, his ever watchful gaze coming fiercely intense. "Why would that be, I wonder?" Before the young woman could manage a response to this inquisition her attention was captured by the silent arrival of her date.

"Yuki?" The soft murmur of this name from her lips drew Kris' gaze to young man.

That cold, pale blue gaze drank in the look of sheer horror slowly shaping itself along the child's palled, ghost like features. The young man stood frozen, his haunted eyes large as his lip quietly trembled under this duress. He didn't move. Didn't speak. His gaze never faltered as pale blue eyes laid waist to any amount of courage he might have thought he had. As Kris finally turned away, a small smile began to tug along the corner of thin lips.

"Is this him?" Kris asked, drawing the woman away from her startled date.

The girl's warm, gentle gaze flitted between the two men now staring at her. And her soft, feminine features shifted ever so slightly between the vast underlying emotions as she cautiously attempted to discern this current situation.

"Yuki...?" Her voice called to the child once more, her brows furrowing in concern over his demeanor as she tenderly questioned him in their shared tongue.

The boy remained mute to her words. But his eyes begged her for something she couldn't comprehend. Pleading with her in pained desperation. Helplessly, and without realizing he had even done so, the boy wrapped himself protectively with his own arms, hiding his hands. Yet that almost insignificant action wasn't missed by pale blue eyes as Kris gained the young man's attention away from the woman by merely holding out his own hand.

This one single movement caused the child to completely shut down and deflate as he automatically fell into the expertly constructed roll of submissive, knowing the estate's owner would most likely be watching his act with the clientele. And Kris simply waited as the young man was forced to remember himself in this very space. Waited as the poor child was finally coaxed into lithe movements, like a hollow marionette in a dance of sorts, as he finally offered up what he knew full well was demanded of him now.

The two joined themselves together, palm to palm, in silence as the boy's hand made its home in the familiarity of Kris' grasp. Pale blue eyes gazed up at the young man, the despondent expression along his beautiful features coming defeated as he helplessly allowed his hand to be turned palm up. Slender fingertips made gentle contact along the sensitive flesh of the boy's wrist. Thick lashes fluttered under the sensation of this as fingers ghosted along his palm before creating slow, tender swirls around the perfectly circular scar. This permanent reminder, like a fingerprint, was absorbed by that exotic gaze for the longest moment before those cold eyes lifted to the child's face once more.

"Good boy..." Kris murmured, the child's expression remaining guarded as the two gazed at each other, leaving the woman as a silent spectator of this strange display.

"Your master's calling for you." His voice came steady in this decisive dismissal, the child's features furrowing in confusion towards the language he did not understand as eyes of ice drifted towards the estate's owner in his place at the bar, the child's own gaze following suit.

They gazed upon the man at the bar before turning towards each other once more. The child's gaze fell into a frigid ocean of pale blue as he absorbed the slowed nod of Kris' head in confirmation to his unspoken question.

"Go..."

With this dismissal, and the release of his hand, the young man took one last glance of hesitation towards the woman before turning away and dutifully making his way towards the bar. And as the young woman watched him leave her alone with the stranger, her expression shifted to one of fearful concern.

"That's better, now isn't it?" This question drew the woman's attention, her lip coming tucked between her teeth to quell the absolute horror as revelation finally donned on her.

"It's _you_..." She whispered breathlessly as her delicate body began to tremble. "You're _him_... The American." And the infinitesimal tilt of the head came in response to this statement.

"So _that's_ what they call me around here?" Kris mused to himself, finding that he rather liked the sound of this infamy.

"Yuki says that his boss stalks these halls cursing your name." The woman shuddered at the mere thought of this as Kris gave a small smile. "Are..." Her lips trembled as she lightly stammered along her words. "Are _you_ the one...who hurt him?" That innocent gaze delved bravely in the face of her fear into frigid waters of pale blue. "Is _that_ why his boss is so upset with you?" Kris listened curiously to these strangely observant accusations as the woman persisted. "Yuki never spoke to me about what happened..." The woman murmured, her voice trailing off as she stared at the man sitting directly in front of her. "...but...I saw the scars... On his hands." Her voice came lost along the faintness of a whisper as she finally breathed out. "It was you."

"Tell me something." Kris spoke, his tone even and lacking in remorse over this woman's pointed assertion. "How much do you really know about your friend's employer?"

"...I...only met him once." She admitted timidly. "And Yuki's mentioned him a time or two..." The expression along her face faltered. "But...I really don't think he likes talking to me about him. Or his work." She murmured lightly, her voice trailing off in thought as her gaze once again fell to the table.

"Do you actually know what he _does_ for work?" Kris deadpanned with the arch of a well groomed brow, gaining the woman's attention as her soft features burst forth into deep crimson.

"...yes..." This singular concession came on the breath of a whisper, though the young woman showed no hint of embarrassment or disgust towards the child's questionable profession.

And...the boldness of this girl in the face of this fact intrigued Kris.

"Have you ever been with a man?" Kris asked bluntly, his own boldness momentarily taking the woman aback.

"Excuse me?"

"Has a man ever made love to you, little girl?" He questioned more pointedly, causing the woman's head to droop as her face came veiled through strands of auburn hair.

"...no..." The small shake of her head followed this response, causing a light chuckle of amusement to crawl up Kris' throat to escape through thin lips.

"A virgin in a sex den." Kris continued to chuckle towards the growing irony of this situation. "Now _that's_ something I didn't expect." He continued to laugh lightly at the woman's expense.

"Please don't laugh at me, sir." This small whisper came through the auburn veil before the young woman lifted her head bravely to gaze upon this dark stranger.

Exotic pale blue eyes met the strength of this young woman's gaze, and Kris found himself strangely inclined to acquiesce to her quiet request as he finally stilled his amusement.

"You've asked me a lot of questions." She murmured lightly, holding this dark stranger's cold gaze as she spoke. "Now I have some for you." And Kris gave the small nod of his head as he settled himself further into the seat.

"Fair enough." He conceded, opening himself up to this young woman's line of questioning.

"What was it that Yuki did to you?" She spoke softly, measuring her words. "Why did you hurt him?" Her voice quavered along this question as Kris' expression remained stoic underneath her gaze.

"This was never about him." Kris murmured lightly, honesty lacing his words as his pale gaze flitted to the man at the bar, the child in question standing obediently beside him.

"What did his boss do to you, then?" The woman asked, having followed his gaze before it was drawn back to her question.

"Honestly?" He questioned flatly. "For me, it started as fun and games." Kris responded. "But then he just had to open his mouth." His gaze became just as cold as his words as he stared at the young woman.

"And...?" The woman asked, her delicate brows furrowing under his hypnotic gaze.

"Then he said something he really shouldn't have." Kris offered this cold, elusive response, and the woman pondered this silently for a moment, averting her gaze as she fell deep in thought before quietly asking her next question.

"Why did you come over to talk to me?" She whispered, her warm gaze coming to meet the small smile that began to play along the corner of Kris' lips.

"Because I'd hoped that at some point I might be able to ask you for a favor." The enticing smile lingered along his lips, beginning to spread as the young woman's expression came completely befuddled.

"A favor?" The woman stammered, unable to determine exactly what this meant.

"Dance with me?" This request came so alluring...so completely inviting as it came followed by the offering of his hand as he patiently waited for the bewildered girl to respond.


	6. A Dance With The Devil

**A/N: So this particular piece has become quite a bit longer and more in depth that I had originally intended. That being said, I sincerely hope that you have all enjoyed this ride. Thank you so much for your love and support. And special thank to the readers who have reviewed. Many of you have become very dear friends, and you guys are by far the best group of people I could ever write for! You rock! Own it.**

 **And to Fandom Angst. I** ** _would_** **apologize now for the treatment of Yuki in this chapter...but then...my apology might seem insincere.**

* * *

The woman sat in a moment of befuddled silence, absorbing the nature of this request. Every sensation in her body stirred inside of her as she looked at him. She felt as if she were in some terrible danger. Yet, she found herself oddly unafraid as she gazed upon this dark stranger with his open hand and this invitation. Should she accept? It was only a dance that he had asked her for, after all. ...wasn't it...? What would happen if she denied him? What...would he do then?

She didn't know.

That singular thought swam in her mind, drowning her as it reignited this omnipresent sense of danger. Like a wildfire as it ran through her with destructive force, muddling her thoughts as she desperately attempted to discern what it was that he had really come for. The vast expanse of this uncertainty consumed her as those pale blue eyes continued to regard her with patience.

Should she accept? Every fiber of her being cried out to get up and run. Move far away from this man and his alluring invitation. Something deep inside of her screamed that he was asking for something far more insidious than a simple dance with her. Yet the same driving force that begged her to run from this terrifying danger also whispered something far darker to her now as she looked into that gaze of frigid ice.

This man was not someone you said 'no' to.

And so...the fragile smallness of her pale hand found its way into the strange warmth of his own. As they met, palm to palm, she felt herself wrapped in the tender embrace of his thin fingers as they encircled her hand, laying claim to her. The woman trembled at the sensation as her heart shuddered in her chest, and the man simply offered her one of his cordial smiles before standing from his place, gently commanding the woman to her feet.

Leading her to the middle of the lounge, Kris could feel the curious eyes of the room slowly drift towards both of them. As they stood at the center of this sea of faceless shadows, Kris slowly drew the woman to himself, gathering her in an embrace that left nothing between them as they came chest to chest, the woman's cheeks dusting in a beautiful shade of crimson.

"Relax..." He murmured lowly into her ear as his hand found its way to her lower back. "Just let me lead you, and I promise you'll be okay."

The young woman breathed deeply, and was immediately overwhelmed with the sheer smell of him. His sent and aroma something she had never experienced before. Musky. Cool, with an odd warmth and slight sting of spice. As her body was slowly commanded into movement, she gave herself over to the soft instrumental jazz that played for them as they swayed together in time and rhythm to the music. She was _so_ close to him. Physically closer than she had ever been with a man. His scent. The music. The slowed movement of their bodies working together in perfect cooperation.

She wanted to believe in his promise. That she would be okay. And a small part of her felt so very safe in the strength of his embrace as they danced. The warmth of his body as he held her close to him. Almost as if subtly offering her protection from some unseen danger with his embrace as he confidently guided them along the current of the light ambiance music. And...she didn't understand... How could someone that...she knew without a doubt was dangerous...make her feel this way? Safe.

"What's on your mind, little girl?" This gentle whisper came brushed along her cheek as she avoided his unnerving stare.

Was it wise to tell him?

"I should be scared of you." She finally whispered back to him as he led her along the improvised dance floor, feeling the minute vibration of his laughter as it passed through her body.

"Yes." Kris murmured in a soft lull. "You should be."

"But I'm not." The young woman spoke timidly, the warmth of her gaze coming to meet the frigid ocean of his eyes. "And _that_ terrifies me." Her tongue wavered along these words as she continued to hold his stare, trusting herself to be guided along by his hand.

"You remind me of him." She spoke softly after a moment of nervously biting her lip in consideration.

"And who might that be?" Kris responded, his expression as cool and flat as his tone as he led the young woman in a delicate spin before bringing her back to himself.

"Yuki's boss." The woman's features came earnest in this innocent statement. "You two seem so very much alike." And as she spoke, the young girl bared witness to the smallest flicker of emotion that played along Kris' otherwise stoic face.

Gone in an instant without a trace of evidence it had ever existed. Easily missed had she not been looking him directly in the eyes.

"I've been told that before." He offered this up cryptically with an almost caustic smile. "But I assure you we're very different."

"In what way...?" The young woman questioned, her voice quavering with trepidation over the answer as Kris drew her just a little closer to himself as he whispered in her ear.

"I'm worse."

And the woman's entire body shuddered in his hold as she felt herself grow weak in his arms.

"Please." She whispered breathlessly, trembling under the renewed threat of danger as tears began to brim along her lashes.

"Shh." Kris murmured into her hair, his tone low and even as their dance momentarily became a comforting sway. "I have no interest in hurting you." He soothed. "But your friend's employer, on the other hand..." This came lowly whispered into her ear as she stifled her fear long enough to listen. "I don't think he likes you very much."

"Why?" The young woman whimpered helplessly, completely baffled as to why a man she didn't even know would dislike her.

"Because..." The hushed tone of his voice drew her gaze to him as her eyes met his. "You're getting a little too close to that friend of yours."

"What?!" The woman squeaked out, her cheekbones dusting a warm shade of pink. "I really don't know what you mean." She stammered nervously.

"I think that you do." Kris responded smoothly with a small twitch of a smile.

"I care for Yuki as a friend, sir. Nothing more." Her voice grew serious in the delivery of this declaration.

"You really believe that?" Kris asked, his brows coming to a light furrow as he held the woman's gaze.

As the two continued their dance, the woman looked away as her bottom lip found its way nervously between her teeth. And in the silence, she felt the warm breath of a whisper along her flushed cheek.

"It's a pretty cruel game you're playing with him, you know." Kris murmured lightly as they continued to sway to the rhythm of the quiet music.

"What do you mean?" The young woman asked as she held on to the man leading her in this dangerous promenade.

"You really don't see it, do you?" Kris chuckled lightly at this ironic revelation as the woman's expression fell in bemusement. "You don't see how your 'friend' looks at you." His voice lilted in pleasure as his gaze briefly flitted towards the child in question, still lingering at the open bar with his employer. "The way he watches you." He murmured, the hand along her lower back drawing her hips closer into his. "How he longs to touch you like I am. Right now." A smile formed along his lips as he continued, reveling in the way her body reacted to him now. "And you..." He whispered. "...you tease him by coming around here. Because..." Kris breathed this word along the young woman's neck, relishing how her body trembled in his arms. "...the kid is smart enough to know that he's not currently in possession of the one thing that _I_ would be able to give you." Kris separated them as he gently commanded the woman's body into another elegant spin before gazing upon her face, his own expression one of perfect stone as he spoke. "He can never freely offer himself to you." And the two stared at each other in a moment of understanding as the young woman's features fell in complete dejection at what she had just been told.

"You think I should leave..." Her voice came so very heartbroken as unshed tears threatened to make their way down her cheeks.

"Absolutely not." Kris's expression came completely candid as he drew her to himself once more. "Your presence seems to really aggravate his employer." And a brilliant smile flashed along his face as he gave a small chuckle. "And that pleases me. Greatly."

Another subtle glance was spared to the young man at the bar. And that despondent, haunted expression seemed to be almost uncontrollably warring between the desolation of utter heartbreak and the horrifying flames of infinite, unrequited rage. And it was so breathtakingly beautiful to behold. The child's silent ambivalence was mesmerizing, completely captivating Kris as the two shared an entire lifetime in that single glance. But this wasn't what Kris had come for. His ambition was far grander than the mere, simple devastation of one meaningless child. But in order to achieve the destruction of his true adversary, it was necessary to shatter the empty vessel that contained his heart. To mortally wound the man, Kris knew that he needed to murder the child.

And the smile lingering along his lips became frighteningly wide and malicious in its nature as he turned away from the boy. Slowly taking the young woman's chin between the gentle grasp of his fingertips, Kris tenderly pulled her in as his lips unexpectedly met with hers.

The kiss was warm. Gentle. Slow and surprisingly sweet in its tenderness as the woman became helplessly still, unable to respond to what had been so swiftly stolen from her. And the quiet, unobtrusive applause from the patrons over this evenings entertainment was even more sublime to Kris as it heralded his decisive victory. Finally releasing the young woman Kris turned towards the sounds of his triumph to drink in the look of mild shock along the face of the estate's owner.

But the child...

The wretched, forsake child, who had once been so lifeless and passive in his appearance, now clutched his fists in absolute fury. His empty vessel of a body shook before startlingly springing to life as he fled from the lounge through the beautiful bay doors to escape into the vast garden of the estate. All eyes gravitated towards this spectacle with varied levels of curiosity and wonder. All eyes, that was, except for those of ice and obsidian flames. The two men stared at each other, completely absorbed in each others presence and this moment they shared. In a world set far apart and high above the one that continued to revolve around them. And Kris silently watched, reveling in the way the man's upper lip imperceptibly quivered under the rage of his absolute hatred towards Kris.

"What did you just do...?" This whimpered moan attracted Kris' attention away from his nemesis as his pale gaze drifted towards the young woman once more, her delicate slender fingertips hovering over her trembling lips.

"I just proved my point." Kris offered this chilling response from lips as cold and ruthless as his words before he gave the small nod of his head. "Thank you for the dance." He murmured politely before turning away from the woman to make his way towards the bar, leaving her alone to grieve in the wake of his devastation.

Slowly meandering through the lounge towards the open bar, Kris delighted in the wrath of his enemy as the man's threatening gaze narrowed in on his approach. In an almost childishly petulant display, the man swiveled himself away to hunch over the bar as Kris silently claimed the empty stool next to him. And the two sat together in the stillness of this moment. One consumed by the inferno of his own rage...the other basking in the heat of its flames.

"Looks like your boy had a bit of a conniption." Kris lilted calmly through the heavy quiet of this moment as he casually gloated over his victory. "Shouldn't you be seeing to him?"

"Are you quite pleased with yourself, Mr. Mitchell?" This question came darkly muttered in bitterness as a small smirk tugged along the corner of Kris' lips.

"Always." Kris deadpanned sardonically, stifling his amusement towards the exasperated sigh that followed.

"So..." This seductive lull trailed a small puff of smoke as Kris helped himself to a cigarette, the two starring forward, avoiding each others gaze. "I suppose this means you'll be seeing a lot more of me." And the man's head imperceptibly drooped with the weight of this declaration before Kris turned towards him, his expression falling unreadable through the thin smokescreen.

"You know what your problem is?" Kris murmured through another drag of his cigarette as the man finally turned to acknowledge his presence. "You care too much." He stated bluntly as smoke made its way past his lips in a tantalizingly lazily crawl "You're too emotional, and you care too much about what people think about you." The man's expression fell into a slight frown towards this cold, harsh declaration of truth. "Believe me..." Kris, murmured coldly as the cigarette came gracefully poised between his thin fingers. "...caring isn't an advantage." And at these words the man turned away, his expression falling blank and depleted of emotion.

"So..." Kris whispered through a soft lilt and veil of smoke. "Tell me again how my lack of emotion is a deficit..."

"Please, Mr. Mitchell." The sound of his name came heavy with exhaustion as the man once again averted his gaze. "If I asked you to leave me for the evening, and simply go away... Would you?" And the slowed nod of his guest in acquiescence came silently as a low murmur followed in response.

"Of course." Kris lulled softly as he snuffed out his cigarettes. "It seems the party is pretty much over, anyway." He quipped, standing from his seat in order to depart.

Placing currency along the counter in exchange for the few drinks he had consumed, Kris slowly turned on his heels to leave the premises. Sparing a glance towards his people who lingered in the distance at the edge of the bar, Kris gave another faint smile as he removed the designer frames from their resting place atop his head to veil his ruthless gaze. Inclining his head towards his vanquished enemy, the little side smile along his lips spread just a little further as he offered his parting gift before leaving.

"Happy birthday, by the way." And the man was made to watch Kris' back as he faded away into the shadows in which he had come.

 **The End...**

 **...or** ** _is_** **it...?**

I've! ...become...

Impossible  
Holding on! ...to when...  
When everything seemed to matter more  
The two! ...of us...  
(all used) All used...and beaten up  
Watching fate

As it flows

Down the path

We have chose

You!

And me!  
We're in this together now!  
None of them can stop us now!  
We will make it through somehow!  
You!

And me!  
If the world should break in two!  
Until the very end of me!  
Until the very end of you!

Awake to the sound

As they peel apart the skin  
They pick and they pull  
Trying to get their fingers in  
Well they've got to kill what we've found  
Well they've got to hate what they fear  
Well they've got to make it go away  
Well they've got to make it disappear

The farther I fall, I'm beside you.  
As lost as I get, I will find you.  
The deeper the wound, I'm inside you.  
For ever and ever, I'm a part...of...

You!

And me!  
We're in this together now!  
None of them can stop us now!  
We will make it through somehow!  
You!

And me!  
If the world should break in two!  
Until the very end of me!  
Until the very end of you!

 _All that we were is gone, we have to hold on...  
When all our hope is gone, we have to hold on!  
All that we were is gone, but we can hold on!_

You!

And me!  
We're in this together now!  
None of them can stop us now!  
We will make it through somehow!  
You!

And me!  
Even after everything!  
You're the queen, and I'm the king!  
Nothing else means anything!

* * *

 **A/N: As a completely random side note, two of my favorite words in the English language are 'shenanigans' and 'conniption'.**

 **Featured lyrics in this chapter come from the song "We're In This Together" by Nine Inch Nails.**


	7. Epilogue: Afterthoughts In The Aftermath

Stumbling through the endless meandering halls, and Yuki still had no notion of where he was wandering. Only that he had needed to leave the room he had been in just moments before. All he remembered was his body slipping from the bed, and away from the one sleeping in it, and being helplessly thrown into motion without him really having the slightest say in the matter. Always the empty vessel being summoned into motion, at the beckon call of everyone but himself. Even his own demons held sway over his flesh. And tonight he found himself hostage to their relentless screams.

Their demand was a simple one. Apathy. Release. That he submerge and bathe himself in the poison they craved in order to stifle and silence the pain of his heart. To become numb to these thoughts in his mind and the agony that followed them. And so his demons had led him to the dwindling reserve of alcohol in one of the small cabinets within his personal closet. But this had done little to quell the anguish and rage burning its way through his empty soul. He found that drowning himself would be difficult with demons that had learned how to swim.

So he had fled his master's chambers, aimlessly roaming the vast grounds of the estate until he stepped into the familiar space before him. His home within the home, he thought to himself with a bitter smirk of a smile. Unsteady legs and the lack of coordination did little to deter his purposeful stride towards the bar. The whole entire lounge was dark. Quiet. Peaceful. Everyone had left for the evening...back to their homes or to one of the many rooms of sin and pleasure this place housed. This left the bar unattended, as there were no longer guests to service. But even this, the lack of help, completely failed to smother this all consuming need to become empty again.

Scaling up and over the bar as best he could in his already inebriated state, Yuki stared blankly at vast array of drinks presented to him. The labels on each of the bottles meant nothing to him. Scrawl and calligraphy that he couldn't make out or comprehend, even in the soberest of states. A slight huff of agitated consideration towards this predicament passed through his nose as his hollow gaze continued to dart from bottle to bottle.

...how to choose...

Though he conceded that _any_ of the vast myriad of liquors would do the trick, tonight Yuki found that he actually wanted to savor and enjoy the taste of this slow decent into nothingness. Tonight had been too much. Being with Tohru had only served to open him up to becoming fully alive. To feeling. To hoping. And by the time he understood how dangerous this hope really was, it had been too late. The damage had been done, and he had been powerless to stop it. Completely powerless. Guilt and shame laced in self-loathing coursed through his veins. Intense and unbearably hot like flames as it destructively burned its way through his body.

He had seen how uncomfortable Tohru had been. Had noticed. And a _real_ man would have had the courage to put an end to the evenings spectacle. A real man wouldn't have so easily been dismissed from her side to leave her so vulnerable and undefended from evil. A real man wouldn't have allowed her to be used in such a way. To be looked at and touched as that blue eyed fiend had. His body gave itself over to a small, reflexive gag towards this sickening image seared into his brain. The way that monster had touched her, moving her body with his as he whispered into her ear. Watching them dance together. And then...when that devil had laid claim to her lips. It felt as if Akito himself had laid his hands on Tohru and fucked her. Right in front of him. And he had been too weak and powerless to stop it. Because he wasn't a _man_ at all. Only the disgusting, wretched gutter rat he had been made into. _Akito's_ gutter rat.

Yuki hated the blue eyed devil for having come to this underworld, seemingly with the single purpose of antagonizing his master. Though Yuki had his doubts that the man could actually win against Akito in this strange feud the two had created.

And he hated Akito for having created this deplorable world in the first place. A scourge so depraved and truly deserving of destruction from the very fires of hell, along with every _thing_ and _one_ in it. Including Akito...and himself. This sudden, violent thought momentarily giving way to even darker, more wicked imaginings of what it might actually feel like to set this whole world in flames then crawl his body back into his masters bed to wait with him as they were both consumed and blotted out in the cleansing inferno.

But...in the end...Yuki found that he hated himself most of all. For having lured Tohru into this world. Hated himself for having been too weak to push her away from him when he'd had the chance. Before she had gotten hurt.

Haru had been right. It had been a mistake to leave the estate...to have even met Tohru in the first place. It had been foolish and dangerous when he had chosen to leave the grounds again...just to see her. And it was absolutely unforgivable that he had asked her to stay when she had entered this depraved underworld looking for him when he had fled the park.

And...just like that fateful day at the park, Yuki found himself overcome with emotions. Ones he didn't want. Guilt, remorse, shame, anger, disgust, hatred. And he didn't want _any_ of them. Not now. He didn't want to feel. Not now. So he went about the task of appeasing his demons and seeking out the emptiness they demanded. Numb fingertips stretched out towards the first bottle as Yuki began a guessing game of sorts. Unscrewing the cap he pressed the glass lip to his own as a small taste of the liquid touched his tongue. Sickeningly sweet with the burn of strong spice. Spiced Rum. Not what he had wanted tonight. So he put the cap in place and returned the bottle to the shelf he had found it before grabbing for another. Taking a small sip from this newly acquired bottle, Yuki savored the pleasant, only slightly less sweet, dry taste. Better...but brandy still wasn't exactly what he was looking for either. So he carefully placed the bottle exactly where it had been before he had sampled it.

Onto his third guess, and taking a small sip, the sudden familiar rush flooded his mouth. Hot! Spicy! Pungent! Aromatic! Powerful! Too powerful as it smothered him! The reflexive gag almost saw the liquid violently spewed from his mouth as it trickled down his throat of its own accord. Whiskey. The one drink he had never liked. It was Akito's drink. And he only drank it with Akito. He didn't want whiskey.

Fighting the compulsion to throw the bottle to the ground as he returned it to its place with a little more force than he had intended, Yuki staggered back a moment away from the memories that this drink held. Terrible. Awful. Painful and disgusting. Now, more than ever, his demons screamed with the need to become numb, so his search resumed with almost alarming vigor.

Increasingly unsteady fingers grazed their way over bottle after bottle. Drink after drink. Now that he had finally decided upon what he wanted he just needed to find it. As his gaze took in the myriad of liquids one caught his eye and lifted the corner of his lips into a smirk. The colorless, odorless, flavorless liquid met his lips in a lovers kiss and the sweet release of nothing more than sharp jagged pain has it slid down his throat like razor-blades. His beloved vodka. And he took another agonizing, desperate swallow in order to set his body in flames and burn the feeling from his foul, defiled soul. Silent tears began to make their way down his flushed cheeks as a helpless moan made its way from his lips as they separated from the bottle in a quiet gasp of air.

Turning from the drinks and slowly stumbling to the counter with an almost graceful swagger, Yuki helped himself to a glass before attempting to scale the counter-top once more. Placing his palms along the bar, he readied himself to lift up and over to the other side before a startling sound dispersed the dead silence as someone from the shadows cleared their throat.

Yuki's whole entire body stiffened and finally froze in place with paralyzing fear and apprehension. He knew he shouldn't be in the lounge after hours, unless requested by a client to do so. With the lateness of this hour, it would be difficult to believe that he had been sent here by a patron. And Yuki certainly wasn't allowed to drinks meant for the guests, unless his guest had bought the drink for him. The grip he had on the counter began to falter under the weight that he had just been caught as his gaze slowly drifted towards the source of the noise.

Hollow, haunted eyes landed into a dark, rich chocolate gaze that almost bordered on thick black. Like oil. Yuki stared at the stranger a moment, vaguely remembering that he might have been part of the boisterous group from earlier in the evening. At Akito's birthday party. The young man's affect was completely unreadable towards Yuki's actions, and his dark chocolate eyes had a strange way of avoiding Yuki directly, though he seemed to be looking in his direction. His lean frame was hunched over the bar with a glass and bottle, much like the ones Yuki had helped himself to, so Yuki surmised that he must have purchased the bottle before the lounge had closed for the evening. A large bottle that seemed almost half empty now.

The strangers attire and physical appearance was unlike anything Yuki had ever seen. Lean, sharp, almost raw jagged features. Wild. Rebellious. Reckless with a sense of danger. Though everything about his appearance drew the eye to him in an almost frantic cry for attention, the man's body language and dark foreboding aura screamed to stay at a distance. And despite this almost threatening demeanor, Yuki found himself helplessly and completely enamored with the man. Not that he was attracted. None of the endless clients, patrons, or guests in this place attracted him. Ever. But there was something about _this_ stranger that Yuki found...refreshing? Something different.

"Konbanwa." Yuki found himself quietly greeting the man with all of the polite decorum that he could manage, causing the stranger at the end of the bar to stir slightly in response.

Only just...choosing to remain silent towards this greeting

"Koncha...?" Yuki tried again, his voice falling in a trained and seductive lilt along this more casual greeting.

Looking away, the stranger helped himself to the large bottle along the counter, pouring some into the glass at his side as he actively ignored this second attempt at a conversation. And Yuki couldn't help but watch him with a level of fascination as the man grasped his drink with black painted fingertips, the rim of the glass meeting his lips in a cold contact kiss.

Yuki quietly crawled his way back over the bar, settling his thin body into one of the far stools as he claimed his perch in silence. If the dark and the quiet were what this stranger wished for, then Yuki could certainly obliged. Why not? That was what he was here for. The purpose of his very existence. To bow to the whims of others, whether that be for conversation...nor not. It made little difference to him. Helping himself to a glass of his stolen bounty, Yuki took a long, slow, drawn out swallow, savoring the way this liquid burned as he forced it down his throat.

Setting the glass along the counter, Yuki placed his hands along its cold, unforgiving surface. Slowly turning them palm up, his eyes absorbed the strange brand at the center of each. Perfectly circular. Each a perfect circle of pain, unending and infinite. He still didn't understand why the blue eyed devil had marked him so. Akito had never told him. But Yuki was observant enough to consider that maybe it had been more of a slight towards his master than a personal attack. Though this thought did little to stifle the humiliation.

Keenly aware of the presence still lingering at the end of the bar, Yuki's gaze slowly drifted in trepidation towards the stranger. The man's profile was obscured by the dark bangs that veiled his face, but Yuki saw how he tensed infinitesimally under Yuki's gaze. As his eyes lingered on the young man in enamored fascination, Yuki began taking in the smaller details in the darkness. The stranger wore a dark, sleeveless shirt, having draped his leather jacket across the bar. Lean muscles flexed and trembled in his shoulder and arm like a coiled spring, and it was in this view of him that Yuki saw the faintest marking. So faint in the darkness that, at first, Yuki wasn't quite sure if the mark was truly there or just the play of shadows along the man's skin. But as his gaze focused on that single, perfectly circular mark along the young man's right shoulder he became more certain of its existence...and a strange familiarity as to how it had possibly been made.

As his overt ogling became more invasive and apparent to the stranger, Yuki was violently startled into awareness by the full force of this man's intense gaze. And Yuki shook under the immense weight of it as the young man now stared at him directly. Though the stranger's thin lips were held in a dangerously taught line of silence, his dark chocolate eyes _screamed_ at Yuki through the veil of his bangs. Shrieking and snarling like a wild animal as he held Yuki's gaze before the man uttered something to him in a language that Yuki couldn't understand. But he had no need to comprehend the man's words to know what he had just been told.

So Yuki looked away.

Even in this place...his so called home...he was always looking the other way. To everything. And it left him completely exhausted, living in this state of ambivalence. Burdened with a longing for change with no chance of freedom to choose. And so...he looked away. Becoming numb and indifferent to every evil in this world as best he could.

Trembling fingers made their way to the bottle, grasping it with a shaking hand as Yuki filled his glass once more. Placing the glass to his lips, he gave a wary side glance to the silent man at the end of the bar as he, too, took a long drink. Time drew to a slow, agonizing crawl as the two began to drown themselves in tandem. And Yuki himself had no concept of when it had actually happened, but at some point in the early morning hour this odd non-interaction had turned into something of a competition. Though the two had shared no words of agreement to this contest, Yuki had been dared to do many vile and unspeakable things in his time...so he knew a challenge when he was presented with one.

The man spared him peripheral glances of silent acknowledgment as the two recklessly plunged themselves into the very depths of their glasses. Each one quickly consumed in order to make way for the next. And the fire raging through his body felt so completely sublime. Like the paradise he would nerve be allowed to enter as each and every emotion that had plagued him was laid to waist in the ashes of this liquid inferno. Yuki even found himself rather enjoying the sport. If only he had known the words to speak, Yuki would have felt obliged to warn the young man that he was sorely out of his league in this competition. Though his friend Haru often frowned upon drinking _and_ Yuki's fondness for it, there had been moments where he had managed to incite his friends more competitive nature.

Haru _always_ paid dearly...because Yuki _always_ won.

The man was nearly out of his drink, and the furrow along his brow had begun to deepen under the weight of each glass he consumed. And Yuki knew _exactly_ what that expression meant, because it had shaped Haru's features each time...just before he lost. It wouldn't be long now. Another glass poured, and the stranger gave pause, drawing Yuki's attention. For the longest time the young man just stared at his glass, and Yuki waited for a sign that he was either ready to concede defeat or continue until the man jolted from his seat and practically ran through the lounge and out the elegant doors to the estate's garden.

Yuki's victory came heralded with the faint sound of violent, grotesque retching from just outside the garden. And despite himself, Yuki began to laugh. Oh, how he laughed. Tears stung his eyes as his whole entire body began to shake with the effort of his drunken giggles at this stranger's expense. The levity high pitched and giddy as Yuki's muscles wrapped and constricted around him, causing monetary breathlessness until his own brows furrowed in alarm to halt his laughter in a small gasp before he, too, quickly stumbled off his perch to flee towards the exit into the garden.

* * *

 **A/N: So this epilogue comes a day late to the party, as Fandom Angst's Birthday was yesterday. But I hope this is a fitting end to this sad tale, and a possible beginning to another saga. Featured in this chapter is my original character, Aden McCaffery. In order to meet him further you could always check out "Suicide Girl And Her Saboten" or "The Irresistible Force Paradox," The equal to this Kris/Akito saga.**

 **So, here is to wishing you a most Happy Birthday, my dearest friend and partner in crime. On this, your special day, I would like to share with the readers a small snippet of one (of MANY) of our conversations on this site. Fandom Angst had decided one day to create a (hilariously accurate) rendition of our friendship, and this is what came of that.**

 **OoO**

 **We stand, dressed all in black, the bodies of our slain characters lie haphazardly all around us. Fandom Angst sighed, feeling an unexpected sense of regret.**

 **"It's just... so much death and pain... and suffering. And all written before our first coffee of the day. Was it really necessary?" I look up at my silent companion, my senior, her face stoic as she observes the chaos. "Did we go too far?" I implore desperately.**  
 **Killer Disco Queen extends a hand slowly and lays it on Fandom Angst's shoulder.**  
 **"We did what we had to do. You knew me when I was still The Character's Death. You knew what I did... you knew everything. It is too late to care now. There is blood on your hands too."**  
 **She removes her hand and begins to walk away, ignoring the bodies she passes. Then she pauses and glances back.**  
 **"I have killed before... and I will kill again. Besides..." she pauses pensively.**  
 **Fandom Angst waits nervously to hear what her companion will say next.**  
 **"...someone really should have gotten me coffee sooner!" Suddenly Killer Disco Queen's face splits into a manic smile. She walks away, still smiling. Fandom Angst is left, alone and nervous of what deaths may come next.**


End file.
